


Far from the beginning

by Kateryna2801



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Arranged Marriage, Forced Marriage, Loss of Virginity, Love/Hate, M/M, Mpreg, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Slow Burn, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-04-26 00:43:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14390553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kateryna2801/pseuds/Kateryna2801
Summary: When it's time to find your place in new, developing society but you are too stubborn to understand it. But there is always someone who force you to see...will Gerald take an opportunity or just dissolve in the dust of the past?





	1. 1.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!  
> It's my first (ever) attempt to write something, so please do not judge too strictly)))  
> And English is not my native language so excuse me my faults and if you'll find mistakes don't be ashame to tell me))  
> Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys))  
> With the help of my wonderfull beta we edited first chapter) enjoy)   
> Second and third would be soon)

It was early spring. This year, despite a long, cold winter, the spring came to town on a schedule. "It’s even possible to check the calendar by the weather" thought Gerald, crossing the road. Cold March wind fluffed his hair, raised the last year's dust from the streets that dried up from the snow only now, raised it higher, strewed in his eyes, making him squint and turn away every minute.  
Narrow tame street wasn’t crowded. It was almost the outskirts of the city, and, there was nobody except retirees and several stray dogs, blowing away by the gust of wind. Approaching the gray nine-story house, one of the thousands of such faded, sticking out anthills, Gerald lit a cigarette. He was late already, but he could not deny himself of nicotine.  
Taking another puff, he glanced at the fresh billboard on the information board: "In a new future - with new opportunities! Become a part of the Empire, share our values, and we will give you a family and hope. " And all this with the background of a pretty smiling cute guy with a small child in his arms.   
"Disgusting," Gerald grimaced. "What's an abominable thing!" He felt sick; possibly, he shouldn’t have drunk so much yesterday. As he thought about that the door opened, and an old woman with a stick appeared on the staircase leading to the entrance of the building. Looked disgruntledly at Gerald, a cigarette in his hand, but as soon as she saw his collar, stood out against the black scarf, and her face broke into a smile:  
"Good afternoon, Father!" - sweetly said the old bag.  
“Good afternoon!” – have hidden the cigarette behind his back, Gerald smiled at her. "It's windy today, isn’t it?!"  
“Oh yeah! Winter decided to fresh us up at last, if there’s no snow so it will be wind.”  
"Let me help you." Gerald went up the stairs and took the old woman by the arm.  
"How pleasant is to feel a strong man's hand," the old woman said. "My husband left me a quarter of a century ago, rest his soul. He passed away, and I stayed. Alone.  
The look of her old faded eyes stopped on the poster, she wrinkled her nose and turned to Gerald.  
"And what does the church think about all this?"  
"The care of the church is to think about saving the human soul, not the Empire," sharply said father.  
“I certainly too old to understand, in whole I don’t understand too much now, but certainly I know for sure what means to be lonely, without a family, without children, without a strong shoulder, which you can rely on in a difficult moment ... Perhaps for someone, IT can be a salvation.  
Gerald did not say anything, only smiled politely and said goodbye.  
In a small flat on the second floor where he entered, there was already a lively conversation. An elderly man with a wrinkled face was sitting in a chair by the window, next to him was a young man with a cup in his hand, sitting on a couch covered with a plaid rag. Having seen Gerald, both stood up and hugged him smiling.  
"Anthony," said Gerald to the elderly, when everyone was sitting in their seats, "how do you feel?"  
"I feel old," Anthony laughed.  
"You are again!" - picked up a young man on the couch.'  
"All right, all right, Richard! When you're the same age as me, we'll see what an excuse you'll come up with!"  
"Forgive me for being late," said Gerald, pouring tea into a large, cracked cup. "Did I interrupt your conversation?"  
"We were just discussing the coming synod. Within me recollection, for forty years of work synod was gathered twice and but now it happens almost every month. Something is imminent, something unpleasant for all of us, " said Anthony thoughtfully.  
"There are rumors that the Empire presses on the Pope," added Richard.  
"The pope's tiara presses on him," Gerald snapped. "Otherwise, you can not explain that the church has been standing neuter for the last five years."  
And for the last five years a lot of things have happened from what you did not even have to think about. Five years to the day, the Empire left the restricted zone and step by step enslaved the continent beyond the continent. All this was facilitated by the "lost" decade, when the number of people on the planet was halved, due to the dramatically dying women and the inability to conceive men. New children were almost never born, humanity fell into long-term depression and apathy, and by the end of this chaos due to alienation, the Empire appeared.  
Gerald was in his fifteen when the depression began, and twenty-five when the Empire established. He studied at medical school and hoped someday to become a neurosurgeon. And like all fanatical students, he was an ardent atheist. In the hope to prove absence of God, he joined the students-philosophers, simultaneously defending the degree, but by the end of the studies, instead of confirming his atheistic ideas, he discovered God.  
"Rather atheist who rejects existence of God will come to Him than a believer, thoughtlessly following church traditions," described Herald the nature of his faith.  
It was his experience: his emotions and his afflatus, and he did not intend to share it with anyone. Even with Father Anthony, his best friend and mentor.  
“Have you seen new agitation posters? They are pasted up all over the city!” - said Richard. – “It's good that we don’t watch TV, they say all programs and serials are on this topic”.  
"The Empire needs children," confirmed Anthony.  
"Everybody need children," Gerald interrupted. "Without children, there is no future either for the Empire or for us. But they want to secure their future at the expense of ours!"  
Children ...   
The Empire was under control of by ten influential families who took their origins from ancient, prehistoric creatures, and who were not people in the general sense of the word. Outwardly they looked the same as people, but their physiology and emotional component were different. Their hierarchy consisted of the “seniors” (who performs the male function) and the “juniior” (who performs the female, reproductive function), and both the seniors and juniors had male external sexual characteristics. Junior could produce only a male child, who was identified either as a senior or as a junior. But the seniors were born three times more often than the junior ones, because of which the birth rate fell catastrophically. The Empire's exit from the restricted zone gave them the opportunity not only to seize new territories, but also to acquire new juniors represented in depressed human men who proved to be a suitable substitute for the juniors ones. And here began what Gerald called "family-reproductive hysteria." Gradually, step by step, the Empire introduced more and more new laws, forcing men to marry with the Imperials. Owning colossal material resources, the Imperials invested fabulous sums in lobbying the laws they needed, promoting their expansion into all spheres of people's lives.  
"They are trying to change us, forcing us to betray our nature in the name of the survival of their species," Anthony said. "And besides, with the tacit consent of our government."  
“Do not make me laugh. The government ?!” Said Gerald indignantly. "Our government has long been composed either of Imperials, or of their henchmen! We all have been sold with giblets! Church is still the only institution that keeps the defense"  
"That’s now," Anthony added in a low voice. "Let's see what will happen in the synod."  
A hush fell over the room, and only wind was pounding in the frames of a small, cozy flat - the last refuge of old valuables and not yet lost hope for possible resistance.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER II   
The first, and the most serious victory of the Empire on the path of expansion of new lands, was the "Emancipation Act" adopted in a year after the final approval of its positions on new continents. It said that any man (over 16 years of age) who entered once into an agreed sexual relationship with the imperial automatically acquired the status of "junior", and his "senior" was obliged to launch the process of emancipation, that is, expropriation of all civil rights of "junior" in his favor . One can only imagine how much the Empire forked out money for bribes to senators and other officials in order to drag this essentially murderous law. Public opinion was divided into two parties. One side said that if a man (due to various reasons) decided to enter into a relationship with the imperial, then it would serve him right – one should think with his head, but not with asshole. Besides, it was not a novelty that a certain category of "tired" of the worries of men consciously entered into such relations in order to change their social status because precisely the Imperials were among the richest and most influential classes of society. Such timeservers, as said supporters of the law, are not worthy to be grudged. But there were those who saw the true threat of the adopted law. They understood that the law directly stimulates and covers violence, harm that can be done on potential juniors. Those who were interested in this issue are aware of systematic violent links, in other words, rape, after which the man automatically became "junior", absolutely deprived of civil rights. And that did not give the opportunity to junior to prove the lack of consent, since his senior now spoke on his behalf. There was no opportunity to help such juniors, and, accordingly, there were no statistics of such cases, without which it was impossible to raise such a serious issue for public discussion.   
***   
Elio stepped out of the car, adjusted his brown leather gloves to match with the coat, looked at the gray sky, heavy with clouds, and walked toward the PlazaNova hotel, located in the heart of the city and being a favorite place for all sorts of meetings and conferences. Over the past three years (and so much has passed since the restoration of the old building of the newspaper’s N editorial office in a brand new hotel), everyone gathered here: from dentists and lawyers, to collectors of antiques and literary critics. The church wasn’t an exception. The Seventh Local Synod gathered here since the very opening of the hotel, so there were no surprises to the bunch of discussing priests here and there. Looking at the trio of elderly priests, actively gesticulating near the entrance, Elio did not notice how he crashed into a young man emerging from nowhere. Jet black curly hair made a setting for his handsome, pale face. Black eyes, long eyelashes, straight thin nose and, finally, slightly puffy lips curved in a grin. About thirty years old, Elio managed to think to himself.   
"Sire ..." he wanted to apologize.   
"I'm not a Sire, you’re an idiot," the black-eyed man snapped, and disappeared into the bowels of the marble hotel lobby having whisked in the door directly in front of him   
Idiot?! Really?! For a long time already he hasn’t faced open aggression in his side. This even amused him.   
Rising up the elevator to the fourth floor, Elio entered the bright, filled with excited voices hall. That was a scene on which stood in a row chairs intended for speakers; From the stage to the entrance there were rows of orange-colored velvet chairs for spectators. From both sides of the entrance there were stairs to the balcony, which partially hung over the hall, and where the guests usually sat. And Elio went up there. On the chairs in the first of the five rows were sitting two people: a tall thin man with an aquiline nose and a small fat man with red face and running artful eyes. The fat man was in a suit with a tie. But his fat neck didn’t let the shirt collar to converge on the last button, and the tie was tightened around the sticking out collar. The man alternately wiped the sweat from his forehead and neck with a handkerchief, looked around, smiled timidly and answered something high man.  
At the sight of the fat man, Elio wrinkled his nose. The official on religious matters disgusted him. As a military man and a representative of one of the ruling families he in every way despised traitors and corrupt officials, but as a diplomat solving the issues of the Empire, he understood that all politics are influenced by such people. Frankly speaking, Elio in principle did not really like people. He considered them in the general mass of dimwitted, greedy, uncultured primates, who at best could perform the function of juniors if they are well trained. And in the understanding of Elio, the role of a junior was reduced to satisfying all the whims of a senior (including in bed), to bear and give birth to his children. And that's all. Brought up in a strict patriarchal tradition, where everyone clearly knew his place and responsibilities, both to the family and to the Empire, he personified all the fundamental principles of the "old world". The world that recently changed rapidly, trying to assimilate with people; the world that was close to him and understandable. And these changes have postponed their imprint on his already uneasy character, causing more and more anxiety among his dad, who has long sympathized with his future son-in-law.   
"Mr. Rodston," he held out his hand to the fat man.   
"Oh, Sir Martel!" - the fat man jumped and began to shake his outstretched hand. – “I am very glad to see you! It's a great honor for me!”   
“Not a bit of it! It is a pleasure for me. Atar. " He nodded to the tall man, who bowed and gave up a sit next to Rodston.   
Today's meeting was extremely important. But he came here not to listen to speakers, he already knew what they would say. He wanted to know the reaction, the mood of the audience, in order to understand how to build his line further. From the balcony, he could see the entire auditorium, almost full of live music of hundreds of voices. On the stage came four cardinals in red cassocks and sat in armchairs. The audience talked for a few more minutes, then everything grew silent in an instant, and a dull, depressing hush fell over.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

When the Herald approached the PlazaNova hotel, the clock was five minutes to eleven. He was not late for the meeting, but still, before it started, he wanted to have a word with Father Anthony, whom he had not seen since their last meeting at the flat. All week long waiting for the synod, he was tormented by all sorts of doubts and guesses, secretly hoping that now, the church will say its word, the flywheel would turn in other direction, and the madness of the last years would melt like a morning mist with the first rays of the rising sun.  
At the entrance, twisting and nodding to one or other familiar priest, he still did not calculate the trajectory between the door and scurrying people, and ran straight into a haughty imperial.  
“Sir ...”  
Herald shook his shoulders hearing this - the impudent allowed himself to address him as a junior. An restless week, haste and vexation mingled in a nuclear mixture and struck blood in temples.  
“ .... an idiot.”  
As usual in such situations, the words themselves flew off the tongue, and reaching the elevator and hectically poking a finger at the button, he felt scorching shame. Normally he never allowed himself to express in this way, especially with little-known people, splashing out his indignation on them. But there was no time and no opportunity to apologize.  
Entering the bright, noisy hall, which contrasts with its orange chairs with the black and gray garments of priests, he began to look for familiar faces. He spotted somebody waving him from the middle of the crowd and saw Father Anthony and Richard.  
"We saved a seat for you," Richard said, getting up and letting Herald sit between himself and Father Anthony.  
“Well, what's in the wind?” – Herald took off his coat. "What are they saying?"  
“Calm down and don’t fidget,” - Father Anthony begged – “Your nervousness is transmitted to all around.  
Before he could finish speaking, four cardinals in red cassocks appeared on the stage and took their places in the armchairs. The Synod was declared open.  
All the welcome and gratitude speeches Herald as usual turned deaf ear, mentally urging an old cardinal to go over to the most important question.  
"We all gathered here today, in this beautiful hall, at this unusual for all of us time, in the name of our Lord and at His will. As ancient one say: God forbid you to be born in times of change! But we were born, and the changes have already come. We cannot stop them, but we can choose how to treat them. How to live with them, and whether to live at all? These philosophical questions on the face of it have completely practical justifications. The world is moving forward, changing, developing, and the church, like us - its representatives, cannot reject the fact that our dogmas are hopelessly outdated. We run out of time of our world, do not understand and do not accept it. So how can we lead our flock if we are not unified with it? And who is this, our flock? Yesterday they were only people, but today they are also Imperials ...”  
And then the Herald tensed. He was afraid to breathe, so as not to miss something from the words of the old cardinal.  
"... and our task is to step over all the age-old prejudices and open the church for new adepts. But this also means that the church in its turn must take a fresh look at the relationship between people and the empire and not be limited to outdated concepts of marriage, duty, sin and life priorities. "  
"Future is our top priority," the cardinal in small round glasses on a big red nose continued. "But we can only step into it through our families and our children. Multiply and replenish as our God said. But without the Imperials, the covenant of our God is not feasible. "  
The Herald couldn’t believe his ears. With every word, it became more difficult for him to breathe. His heart was pounding in his chest, his palms were sweating. He was ready for anything, but obviously did not expect such a strike. He felt at the physical level a betrayal of himself, of faith, of everything that was based on his internal coordinates of values. As a man condemned to hanging, with a stool knocked out from under his feet and loop around his neck.  
“But how could it be?” Someone shouted from the hall. "You are talking about the flock, but our flock is still people. "Imperials do not believe in God and turn away people from Him...”  
"That’s why we must make them our flock," the old cardinal continued. "We must give them the opportunity to accept our God, and for this reason we must adopt them as part of our world and bless them for a joint existence under a single sky."  
Bless. Oh my God. The Herald buried his face in hands, trying to soothe the trembling in his hands.  
Rumble, voices were heard like flashes here and there. The excitement seized the whole room. Some raised from their seats and, indignantly gesticulating, tried to convey something to their opponents. And as usual there were many those who supported the initiative of the Pope, more and more often was heard: integration, rethinking, evolution, survival.  
Gradually, the tension began to subside, everyone settled down, and the middle-aged cardinal, who had been silent until then, took the floor.  
"We understand that it's hard for you to accept something new, especially because of the traditional character and dogmatism of our church. It's hard for all of us, but these are forced measures. You cannot get anything without giving in return. Therefore, understanding the importance of contact, which we are trying to establish with the Empire, the Pope adopted the last edict concerning the status of clergymen. Henceforth, the church removes the vow of celibacy from priests and blesses to join the sacred marriage union”.  
There was such silence in the hall that the Herald for a moment seemed to be deaf. He blinked once, then again, and again, but all the same he could not understand what the cardinal meant. It seemed that his brain simply refused to process this information.  
"It means," the cardinal continued, "that all the students of the theological seminary, as well as all those who graduated from it and who did not come into the law at the time of the signing of the edict, do not take any more celibacy. Those priests who have already accepted it, can refuse it. In case you decide to keep your vow on, the church will confirm its obligations to you and will act as guarantor of your rights and legitimate interests as representatives of the church.”  
"Oh, Lord, they're throwing them at the mercy of the Imperials," the Herald whispered. "Now when celibacy does not protect them, they will be as much a prey as all the other men."  
"No one is protected," Father Anthony said in confusion. "Neither they nor we. With the same ease, the church will refuse from all of us. We will all burn in the furnace of the mighty papal fire, the smoke from which will be visible far beyond the boundaries of the Empire. "  
"I need a drink," the Herald coughed out.  
"It's only noon," was the only thing Richard had said during the whole meeting. He sat enchanted and looked silently at one point. For him, the man who once fell to the very bottom, and then ascended with the blessed fire of all-consuming faith and the hope of the firmness of the church, all that was happening was a heavy shock. Herald looked at him in surprise, put his hand on Richard’s shoulder and squeezed it lightly.  
The cardinal was still saying something, but no one was listening to him. The priests looked at each other confusedly, throwing interrogative glances at each other. The Synod was coming to the end, and the organizers, having decided that there would be no attention, announced its end, giving the opportunity to digest new information.  
"Let's go, Richard." The Herald stood up, pulling on his coat. "We needn’t to stay here any longer. Father Anthony, are you with us? "  
“Sure. Go down with Richard, and I'll join you downstairs” and he waved a hand to someone at the other end of the hall and moved toward the stage.  
Herald and Richard were one of the first to leave the audience, who was still trying to recover from the shock.

***  
In general, Elio was pleased with the result of the last synod. As expected, the priests did not accept the innovation simply, but the support group provided by the organizers managed to extinguish the protests and sow the seeds of doubt in the souls of the protesters. They will have to change, or in this world there will be no place for them. Tertium non datur.  
Elio worked on this edict for a long time, and was well aware of all the opportunities that it ives The permission to marry priests was politically necessary. In the crushing world, priest was a support and an example for a huge number of people. Anyone could be conveyed through the mouth of a priest, and this idea will be unconditionally accepted. Moreover, if the priests begin to set an example for their flock, marrying the Imperials and propagating imperial values in this way! The Church has always gone hand-in-hand with the authorities, and now power in the hands of the Empire, so why would not the church serve the interests of it?  
With such thoughts, he went into the elevator and pressed the button on the ground floor. Atar stayed with a religious official, to discuss with the cardinals the latest nuances of the joint venture after the end of the meeting. The elevator door did not have time to close, as two priests appeared in the doorway. A very young blond, with pale blue eyes and black haired. The same black-haired one.  
Judging by how the black-haired rolled his eyes, he also recognized him.  
“Father!” - Elio caustically greeted the black-haired, when the doors closed and the elevator drove down. “I hope you did not stumble anywhere when you ran to the meeting?”  
“By your prayers!” Herald answered in tone.   
“According to your tone impossible to say that you loved your neighbor, as your God teaches!”  
"He is God to love. What about me? I'm a simple, weak person, what is possible take from me?!” The priest continued in the same caustic tone.  
"There's nothing wrong with weakness, especially if there's a strong shoulder next to you," Elio grinned.  
"I hope you do not mean that!"  
"The ways of the Lord are inscrutable, do not you know?"  
The priest looked at him in such a way that even with all his composure, Elio could not resist and burst out laughing. The elevator door opened and the priest flew out as if he had lingered beside this irritating imperial for at least an extra couple of seconds, then the offer of a "strong shoulder" would have become more than real.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER III  
Richard reread the letter for the third time, looking at the dancing words of such dear, old handwriting. Grandmother’s hand has already weakened, and some words suddenly stopped without being added. From the understanding of the inevitability Richard's heart sank. Where is the dashing, radiating enthusiasm Mom, neighbors’ terror, inventor and jester? A beauty in her youth, an actress, she used to take everything from life to the last drop. But life, in turn, took its full: a husband who went to another, quiet and comfortable plain; the daughter, who ran from the peasant to the peasant, did not finally understand who Richard’s father was, and died at the very beginning of the ‘depression’; youth, and now also health. But Richard's grandmother was never going to give up, she always fought for him to the last. Even when he reached the bottom, and in withdrawal pains he raised his hand to her, taking the last savings left from a meager pension. On HER ... On the one that nursed and raised him, who was his father and mother. The only soulmate.  
So many years have passed, a lot of things have been said, forgiven, wept and suffered, but at the thought of that day, his soul still hurts and tears come to his eyes. What a bastard he turns out to be. Now, standing in his small room at the church and turning over the sheets, he again plunged into these oppressive memories, and shame, incredible shame covered him. So it should be, you are guilty, you will repent of it to the end of your days. It's good that you still hurt so much, it means alive, it means that not everything is lost.  
It was half past five, and Father Anthony would soon call him for evening service, but he also needed to clean himself up and recollect his thoughts before the service. Father Anthony. One thought of an old priestand smile appeared on Richard’s lips. Friend, mentor, father. All that he, Richard, did not deserve, but received in the person single man. And is he a man? Are there people like that? People, they are like him, Richard, thieves, drug addicts, liars and scum. Someone more, and someone less. But the essence is the same for all.  
That evening will remain forever in his memory, as if it was yesterday. When he realized the horror of what he had become, what he had reached, persecuted by a sense of fear, shame and remorse, he was overwhelmed and lost at the doorstep of the local community, which helped the lost souls. There he met Father Anthony, a community leader, and a young medical student, Herald, who helped as a volunteer for the medical unit. Even then, in the heat of endless physical and psychological pain, he wondered how the two had led theological disputes, each on its own side of the barricades. And before his eyes, put on the path of correction, Herald turned from an atheist into a sincere believer. Richard sometimes imagined that he, too, took some indirect part in this transformation. But what impressed Richard most of all was the decision of Herald to become a priest, no, not because he believed that the Herald is making a sacrifice, but because this sacrifice will be given to the church. I serve God, not the church - as the Herald himself put it.  
I would have to visit my grandmother, Richard thought to himself. They had not seen for more than half a year, and the letters could no longer fully fill the thirst for communication. I would ask Father Anthony just before Easter, and I would leave, Richard affirmed in this thought.  
***  
The Sunday service was surprisingly crowded. Everybody was in high spirits, people smiled, greeted each other and Herald. After the mass, everyone regarded it as duty to go to Herald and ask what he still thinks about the new church reform. If Herald told this esteemed public everything he thinks about the new reform, about the Pope, the Imperials and the Empire, and even the words that were at the tip of his tongue, then the first half of his parish would immediately change the church, and the second right after they have moved away from shock. Therefore, he confined himself to a brief ‘time will tell’, and for those who are particularly annoying also ‘for all the will of God.’  
“I am absolutely sure that this is for the good of us!” exclaimed Laura Townson, a fifty-year-old widow, twitching the collar of her long overcoated coat. “Look how the Empire strives for us! Did our past governments care about us like that? They only thought how to fill their pockets! And they are not even people, it shouldn’t be a cause to concern how we live?! But no! Under my house, for example, a new park was planted, really wonderful park! They develop all kinds of initiatives to maintain our physical and mental health. For example, I read in the morning newspaper that a new medicine was released that promotes fertility and increases, TWO - she especially emphasized – two times, the probability of conceiving a child. This is just miracles! Finally, after all these years of horror, we will again see babies on our streets! Isn't that well?!”  
Because of such Laures Townsons, - thought Herald, - we are losing in this war. They themselves, from the inside, surrender their positions to the enemy, not understanding (or not wanting to understand) their true intentions. All the same, the pig will thank and lick the master's hand for food, which is actually not intended for her pleasure, but for fat, for the sake of which the pig will be killed afterwards. But due to a special, Heraldian view of life, at that moment he saw not a stupid, poorly educated woman, but an elderly, tired widow who had already buried her husband and two teenage daughters. The girls, one after another, "burned" during the depression, and soon her husband began to drink, and then completely went to his account. Such stories were something completely mundane for the last decade, and the calm composure with which society accepted these stories and their characters (dead or survived, like Laura Townson), horrified Herald. Callous. Insensitive. There was an impression that the depression had gone, and the apathy towards all living things remained. The living dead.  
During his thoughts, Herald did not notice how the crowd had disperced and almost no one was left in the dark, cool church building. No one but Thompsan Bel, a fair-haired, slouching guy about twenty years old. He was sitting in a thick, knit sweater of cossack green color, which made his skin paler than it actually was.  
Herald experienced contradictory feelings for Thompsan: on the one hand, he felt pity for him, because his life wasn’t good, but on the other hand, he irritated Herald because of his eternal nagging and decadent moods. Whatever happened in his life, it was necessarily elevated to the rank of drama.  
“Hi, Thompsan” Herald sat down next to the guy on the bench ” I have not seen you for a long time. How are you? What's the news?”  
Thompson was sitting for quite a long time staring at his hands, not responding to Herald. Suddenly, as if at last gathered his courage, he declared:  
“I'm going to get pregnant.”  
“Wha ...” Herald could not formulate question to the end, staring at the guy in astonishment. “How? .. I mean, why?”  
“Have you heard anything about imperial arbitration?”  
“No,” said Herald uncertainly.  
“I have myself learned about it only recently. From Thorin - meanwhile he grimaced and nervously rubbed his knee with his palm. - This is a court ruled by representatives of the ruling imperial families. Such an internal body, which solves all the delicate issues that they do not want to submit to a public court. For example, the moral and ethical behavior of the Imperials. Especially their family orientation, it is one of the most important topics of arbitration.  
“….” - Herald was silent, closely watching the guy.  
“Do you know that by entering into a relationship with a man, an Imperial is obliged to change immediately his status to a junior and to claim his rights on him? As soon as a request for emancipation is made, they are automatically considered as spouses, and only in such a status can children be born. If the junoir becomes pregnant before changing his status, the arbitration may decide that the elder was not going to build family relationships, but only “damaged” the healthy junior, which is considered the extreme manifestation of disrespect for the whole system of values of the Empire and is seriously punished ... Do you understand?”  
“Not really,” Herald admitted honestly.  
Thompsan rolled his eyes, and, as if doubting Herald’s mental abilities, and finally explained:  
“Thorin hasn’t changed my status, and we are not a couple from a legal point of view! Now is it clear?”  
“Yes. But why hasn’t he changed your status?”  
“Because he was ashamed of what he had done, and I think he is trying to fix everything in such a way ...” Thompson said with a doubt in his voice.  
“He’s ashamed, you say ... “ Herald, in turn, doubted. “It is very questionably. These guys do not know what shame is, especially when it comes to getting a junior. Thompson, he spiked you something in the bar, and then raped! And the fact that he still hasn’t made you a pet doesn’t mean that he is ashamed or sorry for what had happened!”  
“You're right, I hate him, but he strives,” Thompson said quietly, “really strives. And after that time, we had nothing more ... well, you understand what ... He knows that I don’t want to, and he doesn’t insist. He is kind, caring, and in general, fulfills all my desires. I feel that he is not bad, but at the same time, something inside of me wants to hurt him, wants to clutch my teeth in his neck and tear, until all the veins break and all the blood runs out. And this morning, flipping through the morning paper, I came across a note about a new medicine, and the whole picture immediately appeared in my head. Do you understand? My palms got sweaty from excitement and foreboding.”  
“So you mean that you are going to put his off his guard, have sex, get pregnant and bring the child to arbitration? Did I understand everything correctly?” - Herald pronounced each word slowly and clearly.  
“Exactly!”  
The guy never really stood out with his mind, thought Herald, but now he outdid himself.  
“Do you understand,” he said carefully, “that we are not just talking about you and Thorin now? We are also talking about a child, a living being, your child. You are going to give birth to creature that is innocent of the sins of his parents, and you want to use him as a weapon against his father. Here we have the story of the biblical scale, no less!”  
Thompson calmed down and slouched even more, lowering his head in his hands. Herald sat down closer to the guy and gently put his hand on his shoulder.  
“I know that you are angry, I know that he offended you, I know how much pain you have, but do not exacerbate violence with violence, and injustice with even more injustice. Here a minus to a minus will not give a plus. But it will create only new victims. And then, even if you cranked it all up, what then? In what position will you be with the child? Have you thought about this? What if instead of Thorin, you will be given another elder one, not so kind and caring as you said. Will he love you? And someone else's child? What fate do you want for both of you? Think hard, okay? Promise that you think.”  
“Okay,” Thompson said barely audibly, “I'll think about it.”  
Then he got up and without a word left the church, leaving Herald one on one with himself, God and doubts.  
***  
Captain Ectar Toras was leaning with his back to his official jeep. He had spent an hour looking out for this pretty priest, whom he had noticed long ago, but still could not find a reason to meet. All the time he was either with the parishioners, or with an old priest, or with a second one — black-haired. That one of course is prettier, but an experienced eye can immediately see that he is unruly, so it won’t be so easy to cope with him! But the calm, docile temper of the young blond completely satisfied him. It will be necessary to think about everything properly, the captain decided, returning to the car, without waiting for the one he had been looking for.


End file.
